Lost Souls
by Kirye22
Summary: Elsa's been having nightmares. More specifically one nightmare. And it keeps coming back. She tries to ignore it until a mysterious woman shows up with a secret that turns her world upside down, putting her in grave danger as she tries to discover both who she is and who she will become. *Takes place 6 months after events in the movie* Rated M for Violence ElsaxOC
1. Chapter 1

Elsa knew she was dreaming. She always knew. And they always started the same.

_She was in a small dark room. The walls and ceiling seemed to be made of stone, and it was obvious from the damp smell that she was far underground. There were ominous stains on the walls, and a large heavy door made of wood to her left. Her head hurt something fierce, but when she tried to reach for it, she found she couldn't move her hands. Elsa heard a soft menacing laugh echo off the walls. She then realized two things: 1. she was chained to one of the walls by her small wrists, the metal cuffs digging into her flesh as she struggled against them, and 2. she was not alone. _

"_I see you have finally awoken Elsa" said a deep voice from somewhere to her right. "Now we can finally begin." Elsa began to feel panic well up inside her. She tried to see her captor, but he was hidden in darkness, only his profile visible. _She's not coming _thought Elsa, fear gripping her heart. _She's not coming, and I'm going to die. _As if sensing her thoughts the man said "Your little friend will never find us here…or at least not until it's too late, and she'll have to pick you up in pieces." He cackled, and the sound grate on her ears, making her flinch in terror._

_The man stood, and walked towards her. He was large, towering over her at roughly 6'5" with broad shoulders, and large bulging biceps. Elsa saw he was wearing armor over his chest and shoulders. Underneath was a torn stained tunic, that may have been white once, which was rolled up to just above the elbow, revealing thick corded forearms that were covered in white scars large and small. Though she had a feeling about what the stains were, Elsa really didn't want to know. On his lower half, he wore simple worn black trousers that covered legs as thick as a small trunk, and thick black boots that cut off at mid-calf. On his back he wore a large black cape with a red and silver symbol of a bird inflight in front of a sword stabbing a heart, encircled by some type of script, that Elsa couldn't make out. There was a tattoo similar to this on his right arm, just below the sleeve. As he got closer, she saw he was bald, and was wearing the most grotesque smile she had ever seen, revealing stained crooked teeth. This would've been terrifying enough, but when he stepped in front of her, Elsa saw he had an ugly knotted scar starting at his right temple and weaving its way through a milky white eye towards the center of his square chin. In his left hand, he carried the wickedest dagger she had ever seen. The blade was about 12" long, and was jagged like broken glass. The handle seemed to be made of some white material she had never seen before. She then realized it was bone. Elsa thought she would faint from fear._

_His smiled widened when he saw the terror in her eyes. "Do not be afraid dear child. This will only hurt for a few hours HAHAHAHA!" he laughed as Elsa tried to fight back tears. If she was going to die, she was going to do it with dignity. She would not cry or beg. She would be strong. _Like her_ she thought. _

_As the man approached her, seeming quite pleased with himself. He began to slowly raise the blade, seeming to want to savor this moment, savor the feel of the blade pulling across her skin, when suddenly the door exploded. Splinters and chunks of wood went everywhere, and Elsa struggled to see the figure standing in the door way. They were surrounded by dust, and it was hard to see their face, but it was obvious it was a woman._ "_**GET AWAY FROM HER!**__" The mysterious woman screamed, sending all her anger and fear into that one sentence._

_Elsa knew that voice. _She came!_ thought the girl. _She came to save me! Oh I'm sorry I ever doubted you!

_The man looked shocked, but his face quickly dropped into a glare as he stared at the woman. "How dare you! How dare you interrupt my fun! You ALWAYS interrupt my fun!" he yelled, his voice echoing off the walls, making Elsa flinch yet again. He charged woman, slashing down with his knife while still bellowing in rage. She quickly dodged his attack, and pulled out her own sword to strike back. Elsa tried to see her savior, but even though the dust had cleared, she couldn't focus on the woman. Her features seemed blurred, like she wasn't part of this reality. But one thing was obvious: she was not weak. They exchanged a few harsh blows, neither of them gaining the advantage. They locked weapons, and glared into each other's eyes as both tried to keep their footing, while pushing back the other. Suddenly the man punched the woman in the face, and she was launched back into a wall, slumping to the ground. She looked up and was about to begin her attack again, when she froze in her tracks. The man had Elsa by the hair with the knife to her throat. The woman glared at the man as Elsa whimpered in pain. The man laughed. "Not so high and mighty now, are we?" he said. The woman took a step forward, but stopped as the man pressed the blade of the knife into the girl's neck causing a line of blood to appear. "Ah ah ah, not so fast" he said with a smile that could haunt children's dreams. He then looked sorrowfully at the girl in his grip, like a child who had to put a toy away before he'd had his fun. "I guess I'll just have to have my fun next time" he sighed. Elsa looked into the woman's eyes, and a single tear ran down her face as the man pulled back the dagger and with inhuman speed plunged it into her heart. _

_NOOOOOOOOOOOO!_ Shouted Queen Elsa as she sat up in her bed. She was trembling, and tears were coming down her face, soaking the silk sheets. She looked around her, taking in the mini snowstorm she had conjured in her sleep. Elsa put her face in her hands, and began to cry. The dreams were getting worse.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello all! I know I didn't introduce myself in the prolog, but here I am! My name (or at least my pen-name) is Kirye22! This is my first ever fan fiction, so please feel free to let me know how I'm doing! Constructive criticism only please! I just have a few quick notes that I'd like to make. **

**First off, as you may have noticed, this work is rated M. That is because I plan on writing some intense fight scenes, as well as some possible torture scenes in future chapters. Don't worry I will be putting trigger warnings before the chapters that have these so, if you must, you can skip them. **

**Second, this work WILL NOT have any smut, lemons, g!p etc… So if that's what you were looking for, look somewhere else. The closest I may get is **_**maybe**_** a few heated make outs and some vague references as to what happens behind closed doors. But that's it. Period.**

**Trigger warnings: There's not really anything too bad in this chapter, just a small mention near the end involving a certain dagger. It's mostly just sisterly love fluff**

**That's all for now folks! Hope you enjoy! Please Review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the movie Frozen or any of its characters. **

Chapter 1

Elsa sat at her desk looking over the endless amounts of paperwork that lay before her and let out a long, tired sigh. There was still so much work to do. Trade agreements that needed to be signed, treaties that needed renewal; it was almost too much for the young Queen. She had been working since sun-up and even managed to skip lunch in her attempt to get some work done, but now it was late in the evening and she had barely made a dent. _So much for getting to bed early tonight _she thought tiredly as she picked up another trade agreement and resumed her work. Before she had made it more than a few lines in however, she heard a light knock on the door.

"Enter" she said without looking up, all her concentration on the paper in front of her. After a slight pause Elsa heard the door open, and glanced up to see Anna come just inside the door and stand shyly with her arms crossed over her abdomen. Even though it had been six months since her and Elsa had started to reconnect as sisters, the girl was still afraid she would knock and get the same answer she had gotten for 13 years. It still surprised her (in a good way) that Elsa's door was now always open. "Anna!" smiled Elsa, "I wasn't expecting you, please come in." As the younger girl walked in and sat in chair across from the desk, Elsa put down her work and gave her sister her undivided attention.

Anna looked up, and upon seeing her sister's smile, allowed one to grace her face as well, relaxing into her chair. "Hi Elsa…"she said, her words halting. Elsa, noticing Anna's obvious discomfort, widened her smile and asked "What is it you would like to talk about Anna?" she smiled even more when the girl blushed profusely upon being discovered and stammered "H-how d-did you know I w-wanted to t-talk to you?"

"Because you had on the same guilty face you used to have when we were younger, when you would steal my chocolate behind my back" laughed Elsa. Anna blushed an even deeper shade of red before joining her sister in laughter. After the two had calmed down a bit, Anna looked up, and began to do what she does best: talk. "Well…I know you're the Queen and all, and I know that you're very busy;

n-not that it's too much for you or anything! It's just that we, I mean I never see you anymore, and I know you're trying to run a Kingdom and all, and you're doing a great job really! I guess it's just that, well what I'm trying to say is…I think you need a break and to spend time with me!" she finished quickly, looking away to hide her embarrassment. Elsa was shocked at first, realizing that she had indeed, though unintentionally, been ignoring her sister the last few weeks while she completed her queenly duties. _Maybe I do need a break_.

She looked down at the various papers strewn across her desk and was quiet for a moment. Suddenly she looked up and smiled at her sister. "I completely agree with you Anna."

"You're right I should just stay out of your- wait what?" said Anna looking up in shock. "I said I agree Anna," giggled the Queen "I really do need a break. I've been so exhausted these last few days with all the work I've had, and what with me not getting much sleep and all…" she yawned. She looked up at Anna, whose face had gone from excitement to concern at the mention of her sister not sleeping well, and frowned. "What is it Anna?" asked Elsa, worried that she had somehow upset the girl. Softly, so quietly that Elsa almost didn't hear here, Anna looked at her feet and said "You've been having nightmares again, haven't you?"

Elsa looked at her sister in horror, realizing she had let that slip. She then collapsed into her chair in defeat, sighing and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Anna, it's nothing to worry about. It's just a few bad dreams. I'll be fine, I promise." They had had this argument before.

"No Elsa, you won't! They're obviously effecting you. I mean, I didn't want to say it before but you look terrible." She said gesturing to Elsa's baggy, bloodshot eyes. Elsa flinched at her sisters words, knowing full well that what she said was true. She hadn't slept well the last few weeks, and it left her looking quite haggard, to put it nicely. Besides the bags and bloodshot eyes, her skin was also pale, well, paler than usual, and her hair was constantly a mess. She had barley even attempted to put it in a bun this morning, allowing tendrils of hair to freely fall over her face, making her appear even more exhausted than she already was.

"You need to deal with this! Talk to someone! You can't keep pushing it away, hoping it'll fix itself, because it's obviously not!" raged the girl. Elsa look away ashamed, unable to deny the girls words.

"Elsa," Anna said a little more gently, "you know you can talk to me about anything, right? Even if you're afraid? I want to help you, but I can't if you won't let me in. Please don't shut me out again." She said the last part quietly and with such sadness, it almost broke Elsa's heart.

"I'm not shutting you out Anna," Elsa said rising from her chair and pulling her sister into a tight hug, "I told you, I'm never going to do that again." Anna hugged her sister back hard for a few seconds before pulling away with misty eyes. "They really are just bad dreams. I'm okay, really. I promise." She smiled at her sister, and Anna responded in kind, suddenly grasping the older girl's hands and saying

"So, I was thinking, how about a picnic tomorrow?" allowing the subject to drop, much to Elsa's relief.

"Anna, it's the middle of winter!" she chuckled, while returning to her seat.

"So? I thought winter was your favorite time of the year? Plus we can use Kristoff's sled to get around, and Olaf does better in the cold anyways. I think it's really his favorite season too, despite what he says. Oh! I forgot to ask if they can come! They _can_ come, right? It wouldn't be a family picnic without them!" said Anna with big puppy dog eyes, now thoroughly excited, their previous conversation all but forgotten.

"Of course they can come, Anna" smiled Elsa. She sighed happily. How could she say no to the smile Anna had fixed on her face? "Fine. We can go on a picnic," she said, laughing at Anna's squeal of delight.

"All right!" said Anna, pumping her fist in the air, causing Elsa to laugh again. "I can't wait to tell them! I'll go tell them right now! Oh wait they're probably asleep huh? I'll just tell them in the morning! They'll be so excited! Oh I wonder what I can pack for lunch…" the girl rambled on as she left Elsa's study, now thoroughly distracted.

Elsa chuckled to herself and looked down at her desk. She sighed then stood up, arching her back as she stretched. _I think I'm done for the night. The rest can wait till I get back tomorrow_ she thought.

As she continued her stretch, Anna popped her head in the doorway again and smiled sheepishly at her older sister. "Hey Elsa?"

"Yes?" replied Elsa, looking up at her sister.

"I love you."

Elsa smiled at the girl, her heart full of warmth. "I love you too, Anna. Now go to sleep, it's late and we'll want to get an early start tomorrow." The girl smiled at Elsa a left the room. Elsa shook her head and followed suit. _I can't wait for tomorrow_ she thought as she closed the door to her room, a smile on her lips. All thoughts of the nightmares were out of her head as she crawled under her sheets.She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" yelled Elsa as she sat up in her bed, trembling in fear, her eyes wet from crying in her sleep, snow falling heavily around her. It must have been around 2-3am, just a few hours before sun up. She closed her eyes, pressing them into her palms as she tried to rid herself of the nightmare, but the image of the blade glinting as it pierced her heart continued to flash before her eyes, making her shake more violently.

Elsa pounded the bed in frustration, letting out a small grunt. _Why!?_ she thought angrily. _Why am I having these dreams, these-these nightmares!? What did I do to deserve this? _She held her head in her hands, the trembling in her limbs refusing to cease. _Ugh, Anna was right, I need help. This is ridiculous! _ She looked around the room at the storm she had created in her sleep. _I really need to calm down_ she thought. Suddenly, she had an idea. She debated for a moment, before ripping the sheets off, grabbing a robe, and walking out her door, pausing only to dispel the quiet storm that was raging in her room.

She quietly walked over to Anna's door, and made to knock, but hesitated for a moment. She didn't want to wake the girl, but she really needed her, like _**right now**_. She hesitated for a moment more, realizing this must have been akin to what Anna had felt for thirteen years, before dropping her hand to the doorknob and quietly opening the door. "Anna?" she whispered, looking into the room. The girl was asleep on the bed, thoroughly tangled in her bed sheets, hair a messy halo around her head, her knees scrunched under her abdomen, pushing her rear to the ceiling. Elsa noticed that Anna drooled in her sleep. She suppressed a giggle, before walking into the room and closing the door.

Elsa looked down at the girl and let her love for her sister still her rapid heartbeat, feeling better within just a few seconds. Then, before she could talk herself out of it, she quickly pulled back what covers were available, and slid in next to her sister. Elsa froze when she felt Anna shift slightly, but the girl just mumbled something incoherent about 'Sven' and 'carrots', before settling back into the bed. Elsa smiled and snuggled closer to her sister, allowing Anna's presence to ease her fears. Just the thought of her sister being close was enough to help Elsa relax and feel safe again. _Thank you Anna_ she thought happily. She started to drift off when she felt a hand latch on to the fabric of her nightgown, and look down to see Anna had unconsciously reached out for her sister. Elsa's heart swelled with joy, and the last bits of fear and anxiety melted away. She had a small smile on her face as she fell into a short, peaceful slumber.

**Just a heads up, next chapter there will be a few intense fight scenes, and I will be introducing the 'mysterious woman' mentioned in the summary! Who will she be? Will she be friend or foe? How will Elsa react to her? Does she have anything to do with the nightmares? Guess you'll just have to keep reading to find out! ;) **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry it took so long for me to update! School just started so I've been busy with that. But I gave you a little bit of a longer chapter to make up for it! I'll try to be better with the next update! Please review!**

**Trigger Warnings: violence, little adult language**

**Side note: Mishka is pronounced Meesh-ka**

***line break***

Chapter 2

"Hurry up Anna!" shouted Kristoff, as he loaded the last of the gear into the sled. "Coming!" Anna replied half running, half hopping as she finished pulling on her boots. Elsa giggled at the sight, before pulling herself into the sled next to Olaf, who proceeded to pull her into a tight hug. A few seconds later a very excited Anna jumped into the seat next to her. "This is going to be so much fun!" the girl practically squealed while pulling her sister into a quick hug. Elsa smiled at the younger girl as Kristoff jumped into the, now packed, sled and grabbed the reins. As they made their way, Olaf and Anna chatted constantly, with Elsa occasionally making a comment here or there. She was content to just sit and listen to her sister and snowman as they discussed things like the best way to build snowmen, or which season was the best. It still made Elsa laugh that Olaf preferred summer to winter.

They arrived at their destination within the hour, and began to unload the sled and set up their picnic. As Anna helped Kristoff grab various items from the sled, Elsa began to clear off a spot for them to sit. As she worked, the queen looked over to her sister and her boyfriend, who had decided to share a quick kiss, and smiled wickedly. She quietly created two piles of snowballs, one by her and one by Anna and Kristoff. She then created two large snow forts. She looked back at the two lovers, but they were too wrapped up in their moment to notice the mischievous Elsa, who had begun to smirk. Suddenly they were being pelted by an endless amount of snowballs. Anna squealed as she and Kristoff tried to find cover. They noticed the snowballs and forts and, realizing what was happening, dove behind the closest wall. Anna and Kristoff began to return fire, laughing the whole time. Elsa hid behind her snow fort just in time to avoid being pelted by the avalanche of snowballs being thrown by her sister. She let out a laugh, ducking under a particularly large snowball thrown by Kristoff. She popped up and launched a snowball directly at Anna, but Olaf, who didn't want to be left out of the fun, accidentally ran into the line of fire. Upon contact, his head went flying, causing Anna and Kristoff to howl with laughter as Elsa apologized profusely while helping the snowman reattach his head.

The battle continued for another few minutes before Anna and Kristoff's ammo ran out, and they surrendered. After Elsa cleared off the battlefield, the four of them and Sven sat and began to enjoy their lunch, laughing and talking about anything and everything. Elsa smiled as she looked at her friends and sister. She had needed this more than she cared to admit. _Nothing can ruin this._ She thought, laughing at a joke Kristoff had told. _This is perfect_. Unbeknownst to her, there were several pairs of menacing eyes hidden in the nearby forest that were all trained on the Queen.

***line break***

_There she is, _thought the mercenary leader _The Queen of Arendelle. This score is going to be huge. _His men shuffled around him, warming themselves as they waited for him to give them the command. As the five figures in the clearing began to have their picnic, he decided now was the time. He turned to his men. "Remember, we don't get paid if she's dead, so keep her alive at all costs." he growled. "Do what you want with the others." With that he turned back to the clearing as his men began to take their places. He slowly pulled out his large broadsword and took a calming breath, a gruesome smile gracing his lips. He opened his eyes, checking his men were in position, and yelled "NOW" before charging into the clearing with his sword held high.

***line break***

Iris groaned and turned over in her makeshift straw bed throwing an arm over her face. She tried to go back to sleep, but the sun was too bright against her eyelids, and she was forced to fully wake. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked around. She was in the forest just outside Arendelle. Some would have thought her crazy for spending the night in the snow instead of finding a room in town, but Iris didn't like big crowds and lots of people. Too much of a chance that she'd run into _her_, and she wasn't ready yet. Then again she never was.Iris shook her head and rubbed the last remnants of sleep from her eyes as she looked to the mass of white and black fur lying next to her.

"Hey, wake up!" she said as she poked the large form. A low growl was her answer. Iris glared at her companion. "Mishka, it's time to wake up! It's your turn to get breakfast." The figure shifted and one large green eye opened to glare at her. "Don't look at me like that. I checked them yesterday and the day before! Now get off you lazy ass and check the traps!" she said sternly. Mishka contemplated her for a few seconds more before opening her massive jaws in a yawn, and turning her head away from her master. Iris grunted in frustration before standing up. "Fine. I'll check them again, but this is the last time Mishka; I swear it. And you're only getting a third, ya dead beat." She began to put on her equipment all while grumbling about her lazy companion. She donned her black leather armor, two hand-and-a-half swords that were thrown across her back, two daggers, one at her waist and one in her knee high boots, several throwing knives that were strapped around her thigh, as well as a large cloak made of wolf skin. She was nothing if not prepared. Once she was finished, Iris walked back to the sleeping beast and placed a soft kick to her side, earning a soft snarl before she walked off to check the traps she had set the night before.

As Iris walked, she took the time to admire the scenery. The forest was covered in snow, making everything look innocent and white. Soon she came upon the first snare, only to find it untouched. She cursed under her breath and collected the wires to use again later, then continued on to the next one. After about half an hour of searching she had four rabbits and a squirrel. _Not a bad hall,_ she thought as she began to make her way back to camp. Suddenly she heard something that made her blood run cold. A laugh. But not just any laugh. It was _her _laugh. Iris froze. She turned towards the sound and, against her better judgment, began to follow it. Soon she found herself at the edge of a large clearing, and in the middle were three people, one man and two women, a reindeer, and- _Is that a snowman?_ The five of them seemed to be having a picnic of some kind. The laugh was coming from one of the women, and as Iris looked at the scene her breath caught in her throat. The platinum hair. The fair skin. The piercing blue eyes. Iris knew them like the back of her hand. She ducked behind a tree and began to panic.

_Nononononono this can't be happening. It's too soon. I'm not ready yet! _ She thought as she fought to control her rising fear. Her breathing was starting to get out of control, and she had a death grip on one of the rabbits. _I need to get out of here_. She slowly began to edge away from the clearing when she suddenly heard someone shout "NOW" followed by several shouts and the unmistakable sound of swords being drawn. She slowly looked around the tree and saw that the five of them were now surrounded by a group of about 15 men. One of the men—the leader it seemed—walked up to them and bowed mockingly before he began to speak to the blonde woman. She scowled and suddenly she flicked her wrist, sending the man back several feet with a blast of ice. Iris's eyes widened as she saw this, her breath hitching. _She has ice powers!? This is bad. This is very bad. _

The man was on his feet again, but now he looked angry. He started to shout, and Iris heard him clear as day. "YOU BITCH! SCREW THE BOUNTY! YOU'RE DEAD!" Everything seemed to slow down. She saw the man charge the blond, saw him raise his sword to deliver the final blow, the woman's hands coming up to hide her face, and suddenly Iris was running into the clearing as fast as she could, only one thing on her mind: _Save her! I have to saver her!_

***line break***

"NOW!" The sound echoed in the clearing. Elsa's head snapped up as men began pouring out of the surrounding forest carrying swords and axes. She quickly stood, followed by Kristoff and Anna as the men formed a circle around them, effectively cutting off any hope of escape. Then a large man-he was obviously the leader-walked up to her with an evil grin on his face.

"Your Majesty." He mocked while bowing low.

"What do you want?" snapped Elsa. She was scared, and she could feel herself losing control. _Conceal don't feel! _

"Straight to the point I see. Very well, as you wish." Replied the man, a smirk on his face. "You see your highness, my men and I are mercenaries, and there is a very hefty bounty on you, alive of course," he said as Elsa flinched. "So, as I'm sure you have deduced, we are here to collect. Now what's going to happen, is that you are going to come with us, without a fight, and we won't be forced to resort to more…violent methods." His eyes glossed over Anna as he finished, his threat clear.

Elsa's eyes widened then narrowed as she glared at the man in front of her. She started to reply, but her words died in her throat as she stared in horror. When she went to speak, she had unconsciously raised her hand, and the motion released her powers in a blast that sent the man flying back several feet. Elsa gasped. _Oh no._

The man was quickly back on his feet, a scowl on his face. Before she could apologize and try to appease him, the man shouted "YOU BITCH! SCREW THE BOUNTY! YOU'RE DEAD!" He charged at Elsa, and she threw her hands up to block the oncoming attack, knowing it wouldn't do any good against his broadsword. She closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable, but it never came. Instead she felt a slight breeze as someone moved in front of her, and heard the unmistakable sound of metal on metal as something stopped the mercenary's blow.

Elsa slowly opened her eyes to see who, or what, had saved her. Her eyes fell upon a woman with raven-black hair rippling freely down her back. She was garbed in black leather armor with a single hand-and-a-half sword clasped tightly in both hands, another strapped across her back. Elsa then realized that the woman was in a fierce sword lock with the mercenary leader, having blocked the blow meant for the queen. Unfortunately for the mercenary, the woman had caught him by surprise, and she used this to her advantage as she shoved him back before placing a strong kick to his sternum sending him sprawling. Elsa was sure her jaw was on the floor. _She must be stronger than she looks, _thought the queen. _She can't be much bigger than me, yet she sent him flying as if he weighed nothing! _

Then the woman turned to her, and Elsa's breath caught in her throat. _Those eyes!_ As soon as the woman had turned, she had looked at Elsa with eyes that were the clearest and brightest green that she had ever seen. Elsa was suddenly filled with a sense of calm and peace. But, more than that, she had a sudden feeling of recognition. She couldn't explain it, but she felt as if she somehow _knew_ this woman, though she was sure she had never met her before. The woman was now looking at her with concern, obviously waiting for a response to a question she had asked. "Huh?" said the queen, flinching when she realized she had been staring.

"I asked if you were okay?" repeated the woman, and Elsa almost melted at the sound. Her voice was like sweet honey. "Y-yes, I'm fine," she stammered. The woman looked like she was going to reply, but she was interrupted by a howl of anger. Both women whipped their heads towards the sound, and saw the mercenary leader was back on his feet, the look on his face portraying pure rage.

"You'll pay for that," he said, obviously straining to keep from yelling. "You'll all pay with your lives. I don't care how much you're worth _girl_" he spat at Elsa, "None of you are leaving this clearing alive!" He turned to his men and shouted "KILL THEM! KILL THEM ALL!" The rest of the mercenaries shouted and began to charge the small group, weapons raised to kill. The woman growled and reached up to quickly draw her other sword before dropping into a defensive crouch in front of Elsa. "Stay behind me" she commanded. Elsa nodded quickly. She had no intention of disobeying that order.

The first two men reached them within a few seconds. One slashed at the woman's face while the other swung at her ribs. She easily parried the blows, before quickly beheading one while simultaneously thrusting a sword through the other's chest.

Elsa gaped, eyes wide as the bodies fell to the ground, their blood turning the snow red. _She's so fast! They never had a chance_. She shivered, but before she had time to react, the woman had already moved on. She was now fighting off a group of four men. Two had swords, one an axe, and the last held two large daggers. The woman was parrying blows from all sides, when suddenly she swung at one of the sword wielders, catching him on the right shoulder and nearly cleaving him in two. She let go of the sword, as it was buried in his corpse, and used both hands to block a swing from the mercenary with the axe and push him back before she continued her assault.

As Elsa watched the woman duck under another swing, she saw the other swordsman and the man with the daggers were sneaking up from behind. The woman continued to attack the axe-man, not noticing the threat. The man with the daggers raised one up, poised to kill, and Elsa just reacted. She let her power fly from her finger tips, incasing both mercenaries in ice as the woman decapitated the axe-man. The woman turned, sword raised, only to see a wall of jagged ice imprisoning two of the enemy. Her head snapped up to Elsa, her eyes widening as she gave a curt nod of thanks before rushing to her next victim. Elsa could only watch in shock. This woman was amazing. She was fast, strong, and extremely cunning. She cut through the mercenaries as if they were made of paper.Elsa shuddered as the woman cleaved a man's skull in half, seemingly with very little effort before moving on to the next. _I'm certainly glad she's on our side._

Suddenly, Anna screamed. Elsa turned and her blood ran cold. Two men were closing in on her sister. Elsa looked around for her sister's lover, only to find Kristoff was unconscious on the ground, bleeding from a blow to the head. Olaf was hiding behind Anna. Elsa saw red. She could feel a swell of power, and was about to release her ice upon the two unlucky mercenaries, when she a loud roar reverberated through the clearing. Out of nowhere, an_ enormous_ snow leopard leaped from the trees and landed in front of Anna, its teeth bared in a ferocious snarl, tail whipping back and forth. The beast was huge. Its shoulder would've easily come up to Elsa's chest. All the blood drained from Anna's face as it growled deep in its throat, challenging the two men to continue their attack. They hesitated for a moment before swinging at the beast. The leopard dodged the blows before swiping at them with a paw the size of a dinner plate. One of the men ducked, but the other was hit and flung into a nearby tree where he slumped to the ground. Before the remaining mercenary could react, the feline pounced on him. He cried out, but it was cut short as the leopard closed its jaws over his throat.

Elsa was about to run over to her sister when she felt a presence behind her. She quickly turned to see the leader glaring down at her in triumph, his sword raised above his head. "Good bye your Majesty" he smirked as he brought the sword down on Elsa. She closed her eyes, not having time to do much else, before she suddenly felt something crash into her, sending her flying as she heard someone snarl in pain. She looked up from her place on the ground and saw the woman standing where she had been but seconds before, holding the flat mercenary's blade with her palms, effectively stopping the swing. Elsa felt a rush of relief, before she noticed blood running down the woman's side, and staining the ground. It was then that she noticed the blades edge had cut a good 3 inches into the woman's left shoulder. The woman gasped in pain as she fought to keep the larger man from deepening the wound. The mercenary, though surprised at first, grinned cruelly as he pushed into the cut. He looked as if he was about to say something, probably gloat, when the woman's eyes flew open and the blade began to slowly rise from the gash. The man grunted, his mouth falling into a frown as he pushed harder, but it made no difference: the woman was stronger. She kept lifting the blade, her face full of pain, rage and determination. As soon as the blade cleared the wound, she looked him in the eye before snapping the end of the sword off in her hands. She then quickly side-stepped the man as his momentum brought him forward, before plunging her new weapon into the back of his neck. Blood squirted from his neck and mouth, and he was dead before he hit the ground. The few mercenaries that were left watched their leader fall, before turning tail and running into the woods. The woman was having none of it. She quickly grabbed a handful of throwing knives from a strap on her thigh and threw them with incredible accuracy, killing the remaining enemies.

Elsa stared at the woman as she shakily stood, clutching at her shoulder as blood oozed from the wound. Then the woman looked right at her, strange emotions flashing in those green eyes, before they rolled back and she collapsed in a dead faint. Elsa froze for a moment before rushing to the woman's side. She rolled the warrior over and gasped at the amount of blood spewing from her wound. _No wonder she passed out_, thought Elsa as she quickly used her powers to seal the gash as best she could. It didn't stop the bleeding completely, but it slowed it down quite a bit. She looked up and came face to face with the enormous green eyes of the snow leopard. Elsa blanched, falling backwards, but before she could move, the large cat ran a huge rough tongue across her face. She sputtered at the sudden affection as the beast sat on its haunches regarding her quietly. Elsa eyed the beast suspiciously, but it didn't seem to want to rip her face off. It dropped down next to the unconscious form, and let out a low keening sound that broke her. _The woman must be her master!_ thought Elsa.

Elsa heard a loud groan and saw Kristoff waking up. "Anna! Kristoff! I need your help" she called. The two sauntered over, avoiding the dead bodies that were littered all around. They kneeled down next to the queen, both eyeing the creature sitting a few feet away.

Elsa looked back down at the figure below her. This woman had now saved her life twice, and nearly lost her own because of it. And Elsa didn't even know who she was. She began to stroke the woman's hair. "We have to save her," she said quietly, her voice breaking.

Kristoff looked at the wound incased in ice and nodded. "We'll have to get her to castle quickly, or she could bleed out," he replied. He leaned down and lifted the woman. He then carried her over to the sled and gently placed her on the seat, before he began to strap Sven to the sled as quickly as he could. Olaf and Anna silently climbed into the opposite seat, and held each other, still trembling from the recent events. Elsa pulled herself into the sled, but instead of sitting with her sister and snowman, she gently raised the woman's head and sat down before placing it on her lap. She once again began to run her fingers through the black hair. Kristoff hopped into the driver's seat and snapped the reins. Sven set off at a grueling pace, with the snow leopard close behind as they raced back to the castle. The whole while, Elsa held onto the woman, only one thought going through her mind.

_Please don't die. Please don't die! PLEASE DON'T DIE!_

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**Please review!:D**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey y'all! Here's the newest chapter of Lost Souls! I know it's a kind of short, but this chapter is more of a build-up for the big meeting! Thanks for all the views! Please review!**

**Trigger warnings: N/A **

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Chapter 4

Elsa didn't mean to fall asleep. But after three days of almost no rest, she was just so tired. As soon as they had returned to the castle, she had Kristoff rush the woman to the medical wing. The snow leopard started to follow them into the castle, scaring several servants along the way. Elsa noticed this, and had gone over to the large feline, causing it to stop as she approached. Elsa had looked into the animals green eyes, noticing they were the same shade as the woman's, and, with all the authority she could muster, told it to wait in the stables. She had felt silly speaking to an animal like it was one of her subjects, but the leopard had seemed to understand. It blinked once and turned towards the stables with a flick of its tail. The Queen had watched as it left for a moment, before the group continued to the medical wing.

When they arrived, Elsa melted the ice around the woman's wound and the nurse quickly stitched and bandaged the soldier. The Queen was told that a few more minutes and the woman would not have survived the wound, which caused the growing guilt in Elsa's gut to spike tremendously. She was happy that the woman was alive, but she couldn't help but blame herself for the injury happening in the first place. After the nurses were done tending to her wound, the woman was moved to one of the many guest bedrooms in the castle, and Elsa told herself she wouldn't leave her side until she awoke.

The first night was the hardest. The woman had developed a severe fever and nothing the nurses, and even the Snow Queen, did was enough to cool her, the fever would not break. It did, however, slowly begin to dissipate the next morning. Over the next few days, the fever continued to lessen, until it finally broke on the eve of the third day. And, true to her word, Elsa never left the woman's side, unless it was to answer nature's call. She had her meals and paperwork brought to the room, and she refused to hold any meetings with the council until the woman was awake. This, as she expected, angered them greatly. But Elsa didn't care, she would deal with them once she was sure the woman was okay. She knew she would never forgive herself if the woman didn't survive. The council couldn't do much but gripe anyways. Elsa knew she could do as she wished with little to no consequences. She was the Queen after all.

While the woman slept, Elsa was free to examine her up close—the woman who had saved both her and her family. If the Queen had thought the woman was beautiful at first glance, up close she was absolutely breathtaking. Her raven-colored hair was soft, fanning across the pillow gracefully, her sun-kissed skin free of any blemishes but for one small scar above her right eyebrow. She had high, strong cheek bones, and a small sculpted nose that, unlike Elsa's and her sister's, was free of any freckles. Her lips were full and pink. Elsa spent more time than she wanted to admit staring at those lips. The woman was also incredibly fit. When her wound was cleaned and bandaged, the nurses had taken off her armor and the tunic beneath, revealing a toned abdomen and muscles. But the one feature Elsa couldn't get out of her head were those astonishingly green eyes. They had been hypnotizing, and the Queen couldn't help but want to see them again.

Throughout the whole ordeal, Elsa hardly slept a wink. The main reason was that she was afraid she would miss when her savior awakened. But deep down she knew it was also partially in fear of the nightmares. So she stayed awake as long as she could, holding on to the woman's hand to keep her fever at bay. Eventually, even fear of sleep couldn't keep Elsa's eyes open any longer. _I'll just rest my eyes for a moment_. She put her head down on the bed, intending to close her eyes for just a moment, but she was asleep before she knew it.

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The first thing Iris realized was the surface she was lying on was incredibly soft. It felt like she was floating on a cloud. The next thing she realized was the sharp throbbing pain in her left shoulder. The pain was one of the worst she had felt in a long time, not counting that time she had been "punished" for cheating a mercenary out of his hard earned loot. That was unpleasant. _My shoulder must have been what woke me up_, she thought groggily. Her final realization was the fact that someone with extremely cold hands was holding her hand. She knew only one person who had hands that cold. That was enough to fully wake her.

Iris's eyelids fluttered open before slamming shut when her eyes were assaulted with the bright light of the mid-morning sun. She cursed quietly, before slowing opening her eyes again. As they adjusted to the light, she began to look around. She was in a large, lavished room with a floor to ceiling window to her right, its curtains drawn. She glared at the source of the offending light before examining the rest of her surroundings. The room was furnished expensively, with a large oak dresser that matched a writing desk and the four coaster bed she was currently lying in. The colors of the room reminded her of spring. There were several different shades of green, as well as pinks, blues, and many other bright colors.

As Iris continued her observations, a small, gentle snore brought her attention back to the person holding her hand. She raked her eyes over the sleeping form, and they slowly widened, panic filling her chest. The woman had fallen asleep in her chair, head on the bed to Iris's right, lightly holding on to the warrior's uninjured hand. A piece of her platinum hair had fallen from her braid landing over her porcelain face moving with her even breaths, in and out. She had a light smattering of freckles over her nose, and Iris knew behind her eyelids were the most startling cerulean blue eyes she had or would ever see.

Fear slowly began to engulf Iris as she stared at the beauty in front of her. _Shit._ She cursed mentally. _How did this happen!? I was so careful! This isn't good. I can't believe I let her see me!_ She closed her eyes for a moment before taking another glace around the room to distract herself from the panic in her chest. _How did I end up here...and for that matter, where the hell am I!? _Iris then remembered seeing the mercenary about to kill the goddess next to her, and a searing pain in her shoulder as she took the hit instead. She groaned internally as she remembered looking at the woman before passing out from blood loss. _So that's why I'm in so much pain. I was careless. _She scolded herself. She looked once more at the woman sleeping next to her. _I need to get out of here before she wakes up. _Iris slowly began to pull her hand from the blonds, being careful not to wake her. Suddenly the sleeping woman shifted, scrunching her face, before she slowly opened her eyes. Iris froze in fear as blue eyes met green. The woman sat up abruptly, never releasing Iris's hand.

"You're awake!"

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	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey y'all! Just a quick note, I know the previous chapter was labeled chapter 4, but it was supposed to be chapter 3. And, wow, 400 views? Thanks guys, I never thought I'd do this well! Now without further ado, the **_**real**_** chapter 4.**

**Trigger warnings: N/A**

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Chapter 4

Elsa couldn't describe how relieved she felt when she opened her eyes to see bright green orbs looking back. "You're awake!" she exclaimed sitting up, all remnants of sleep gone. Her relief was so strong, she didn't realize that this was the first time in months she hadn't had a nightmare.

"How are you feeling? Can I get you anything?" Elsa asked, a large smile plastered on her face. She was so excited she almost missed the look of panic in the woman's eyes. She looked absolutely terrified, but her expression changed so quickly, Elsa was almost sure she imagined it. Elsa's smile wavered a bit at the woman's reaction, as green eyes now looked at the blonde with such intensity it caused the Queen to blush, before they flicked down to their still intertwined hands. Elsa followed her gaze, and, realizing she was still holding the woman's hand, quickly let go, her blush intensifying as it crept up her neck and face. She clasped her hands firmly in her lap, and looked away shyly. She could feel the woman's piercing gaze as silence filled the room, neither woman moving. After an awkward moment, the silence was broken by the woman's heavenly voice.

"Water." Though dry and rough from three days of non-use, it was still the most beautiful sound Elsa had ever heard. It took the Queen a moment to realize that the woman was asking for a drink. "Oh! Of course!" She jumped up, trying to hide another blush, and quickly poured a glass of cool water from a pitcher on the side table. She turned to the woman, who had managed to sit up, and handed her the drink. The woman inspected it for a second before throwing her head back and finishing it in two quick gulps. She muttered a quick "Thanks" before handing back the cup and averting her gaze. The room fell into an awkward silence yet again. Thousands of questions buzzed through the Queen's head, but one question in particular continued to come to the forefront of her mind. This time it was Elsa who broke the silence.

"What's your name?" She blurted out, before clapping her hand over her mouth, shocked at her sudden outburst. The woman's head whipped up so quickly, Elsa was sure she heard the snap. The woman was looking at her again, confusion, and…something else, clear in her eyes. She raised one sculpted eyebrow, but stayed silent for so long, Elsa was sure she wasn't going to answer. Just as she was about to give up hope, the woman answered. "Iris." She said calmly, a hint of amusement in her voice. "My name is Iris."

_What a beautiful name! It fits her well,_ thought Elsa. She was about to offer her name in return, when there was a gentle knock at the door, startling the two women. Elsa relaxed when it opened to reveal Kai, one of her most trusted servants. He stood in the door way taking in the site before him with a small smile. "Good morning, Your Majesty," he said to the Queen with a small bow. "And good morning to you Miss, I am pleased to see you are well. Her Majesty has hardly left your bedside in the three days since you've arrived."

"Kai!" exclaimed Elsa, blushing profusely as Iris smirked at her, a pink tint crossing the woman's face as she raised an eyebrow at Elsa's title. The man simply smiled wider. "Did you need something?" Elsa huffed, thoroughly embarrassed. Kai bowed, still smiling, before addressing the Queen.

"Sorry to disturb you, Your Majesty, but I have a message from Princess Anna," he said regally. When Elsa nodded for him to continue, he hesitated for a moment before saying "I do apologize for this, Your Majesty…but these are her words not mine." He cleared his throat before continuing. "She said, and I quote, 'Tell my sister she is to have lunch with me and Kristoff today, no exceptions, and I won't take no for an answer! She hasn't had a decent meal in three days, and I won't stand for it! She has fifteen minutes from the moment you deliver this message to get her majestic butt to the dining hall before I come and drag her out of that room myself!'" He finished, looking anything but comfortable.

The man was absolutely appalled at having spoken to the Queen like that, but Elsa merely laughed, causing him to relax, if only slightly. "Well it would seem I'll be having lunch with my sister today. Please inform her I will be there shortly," said Elsa, smiling at Kai, as Iris snickered behind her good hand. The servant bowed and made to leave. "Oh and Kai?" said the Queen before he had exited the room. He turned back to Elsa, raising one eyebrow in question. "Don't tell Anna about Iris waking just yet. I would like to surprise her myself." Kai smiled and dipped his head in understanding before leaving the two women, closing the door behind him. The second it did, Iris spoke up.

"…Your Majesty..." she deadpanned, raising her eyebrow higher if it was possible.

"Yes?" replied Elsa, turning to look at the woman, confusion clear on her face at the sudden change of tone.

"As in…Queen?" Iris asked, almost sounding incredulous. Elsa laughed as she replied with an affirmative. Iris looked down at the bed sheets, brows furrowing in thought. "Well that's a first," she mumbled to herself. She studied the sheets for a few more moments before Elsa broke the silence, saying the one thing she had been afraid she would never get to say to the woman.

"…Thank you…" she said quietly. Iris brought her eyes back up to meet Elsa's, confusion filling the green orbs. "For what?" the woman asked, surprising Elsa with the genuine curiosity in her voice. _She can't seriously not know!_ thought the Queen.

"For…for saving my life!" Said Elsa incredulously. "And my family's lives! If you hadn't jumped in when you did, I-" she shuddered "I don't know what would've happened," she finished quietly, looking down at her hands. The room was quiet for a few moments as the woman processed the Queens words. Elsa jumped when she suddenly felt a soft yet strong hand grip her chin and gently lift her face up to look into Iris's green eyes. She was looking at the young woman intensely, and Elsa realized just how close their faces had become. The Queen blushed again, and would've looked away had it not been for the other woman's strong grip.

"You don't need to thank me, Your Majesty," said Iris, using a tone that left no room for arguing. "Not _ever_." Elsa's mouth felt dry and she was having a hard time thinking with the other woman so close to her. She swallowed and opened her mouth to respond when Iris suddenly let her go, leaning back onto the bed, effectively ending the moment and leaving a very flustered Queen. _What was _that_!?_

"Besides, it's not like I did anything anyone else wouldn't have," said the woman casually, a smirk once again gracing her face.

_She's going to give me whiplash with all these mood swings_ thought Elsa. She was about to respond to Iris, to tell her that she indeed needed to be thanked, that not just anybody would've put their life in danger for a complete stranger, when she noticed the other woman looking around the room for something, her eyes narrowing when they did not finding the object of her desire. Elsa was about to ask her what she was looking for, when Iris spoke up.

"Where's Mishka?" she asked, tearing her eyes from the room to focus on Elsa. The Queen cocked her head to the side in confusion, eyes questioning.

"Mishka?" said Elsa, lost as to what or who it was. Iris looked at her, amusement in her eyes.

"My companion. The giant snow leopard? She's really not hard to miss," Iris said, clearly teasing her.

Elsa's eyes narrowed in amusement as she answered the question. "She's in the stables. I had her stay there for the time being so she wouldn't scare the staff," she chuckled. Iris nodded her head in understanding. Suddenly playful look fell from her face, and she looked down at the bed, sighing deeply. Elsa's smile dropped at the serious look on Iris's face, wondering what had upset the woman.

Iris, still looking down at the bed, answered Elsa's unspoken question. "Thank you for watching over me while I was injured," she said, "but it's time I was on my way."

Elsa looked up in surprise. _She want's to leave!?_ "You can't leave!" she said, a little too loudly. Iris looked up in surprise at the Queens outburst. Elsa blushed again, but continued in a calmer voice.

"Y-you can't leave just yet. Y-you're still injured. You need to give your arm time to recover. You wouldn't make it very far if you left now," she said, trying to cover for her early statement. Iris stared at Elsa for a moment.

"I'm stronger than I look," replied Iris. Elsa tried again.

"At least stay a few more nights?" she asked, trying not to sound too desperate. "I wouldn't feel right letting you leave just yet." Elsa didn't want the woman to leave. She couldn't explain it, but she felt drawn to this woman, as if she had known her for years.

"I can't," said the woman, her eyes downcast again.

"Why not?" the Queen inquired. Why couldn't this woman stay, at least for a few days? Elsa knew that there was no way Iris was strong enough to leave the palace on her own, despite what she thought.

"I have my reasons," said Iris, still not looking at Elsa. She began to make her way to the edge of the bed, careful not to jostle her injured arm.

"W-wait!" stammered Elsa, standing up and reaching for the woman. She had to try to keep Iris here, just for a little longer. "You can't leave! Please, I know you said I don't need to thank you, but I still feel that I do. I can't let you go knowing you're not in full health," Elsa admitted. Iris stopped and looked at her, confliction clear in her eyes.

"Please?" said Elsa, giving her, what she hoped was, the biggest puppy-dog eyes she could. The woman looked at her before she sighed, closing her eyes, her hand coming up to pinch the bridge of her nose. She sat like that for a few moments, obviously contemplating the Queen's offer. She looked up, green eyes meeting blue as she ran a hand through her black hair.

"Three days," she said, startling Elsa. "I'll stay for three days, but no more."

Elsa nodded enthusiastically. _Three days isn't much, but it gives me time to figure out a way to convince her to stay longer_, she thought as Iris settled back into the bed. The room was quiet as Elsa thought of different ways to try and prevent the woman from leaving.

"You should go before your sister comes looking for you," said Iris, breaking Elsa from her thoughts.

"Yes, I suppose I should." Elsa agreed, as she stood. "I'll have Gerda bring you something to eat. I can only imagine how hungry you are after three days," she said. Iris nodded her head in thanks, a small smile gracing her lips. It was the most beautiful smile Elsa had ever seen.

"Good day Iris, I'm glad you are better," she said, smiling back as she headed towards the door.

"Good day, Your Majesty," replied Iris.

Elsa paused, halfway out the door, and turned her head back to the woman. "Elsa," she said, surprising Iris. "Call me Elsa." With that she left, closing the door behind her.

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Iris watched as Elsa left, the smile falling from her expression. She drew a hand across her face, sighing deeply at her predicament. "What am I doing?" she asked herself quietly. She shook her head in disgust at her weakness. _I should've left _she thought. _I should've said no._ She groaned internally as she realized that she would be around Elsa for three more days. 72 more hours. 4320 more minutes. 259,200 more seconds. Iris groaned again._ WHY didn't I say no?_

She looked up at the door, remembering how those cerulean eyes had begged her to stay, and knew that she wouldn't have been able to say no, no matter how hard she tried. _Who am I kidding? _she thought. _I can't say no to those eyes. _She sighed again. _I never could. _

"You can do this Iris," she told herself. "It's just three days. You just have to make it three days. You _can_ do this." But even as she thought it, she knew that this was going to be the longest three days of her life. Being this closer to her was dangerous. She couldn't afford to get attached again. _I'll just have to keep my distance until I can go_, she thought, running her hand through her hair. She just prayed she had the strength to leave when the time came.

_Freya help me._

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**Please Review! **


	6. NOT AN UPDATE

**A/N: Hey guys...so this isn't a chapter...I'm just letting you all know that I'm going to be taking a break with this story to work on Dreamfall. **

**Dreamfall is, in my opinion, a better story, so I'm going to finish it before I return to this one. But fret not! I ****_will _****return...Just as soon as I'm done with DF. **

**so this story is on hiatus for now. **

**I'm sorry for those who thought this was an update. :(**

**Be sure to check out my other story!**

**Thanks you guys!**


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